Once upon a time, people bought the wines they liked and had trusted over many years, because they knew they would not be disappointed.

It may have been a Gallo Hearty Burgundy, or a Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé, a Chianti or Mateus or Wente Grey Riesling. The wines could always be found on the local supermarket shelf, and the price didn’t break the bank.

That was then; nowadays, we have “the paradox of choice. Overstimulated by so many options,” writes Joyce Goldstein, in Inside the California Food Revolution, “we have become accustomed to constant change and instant boredom.”

Granted, Joyce is talking about how and where we eat—the amazing proliferation of types of cuisine we have at our disposal. But the same could be said about wine. And this is making life very difficult for the small family winemaker.

I was hanging out yesterday with a guy who owns his own wine brand, but he’s not likely to in the future. Business is not good, and he, himself, doesn’t know what to do about it. He can’t afford a staff, which means he has to do it all: vineyard contracting, winemaking, sales, marketing (such as it is) and all the rest. This is obviously too much for one person, so the end of the road is near.

It’s a sad story, especially since I’ve known this guy and know what a terrific winemaker he is. But his plight is the direct result of Joyce’s observation about our food proclivities: We’re accustomed to constant change, and we grow quickly bored. Under those circumstances, someone might have bought my friend’s wine and enjoyed it. But that person will be reluctant to become a loyal customer because of this constant search for the new and different.

I don’t know what the answer is. There may not be one. Not every problem has a solution. And it’s not enough to warn a young person not to get into the wine business, because when you’re young, you’re starry-eyed and ambitious, and you can’t believe that all your dreams might not come true. They might not—but usually, people don’t realize that until they’re in the forties.

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Our little, homegrown East Bay Vintners Alliance is preparing for their annual fiesta. This year it’s August 2, down at Jack London Square. This is the Oakland version of “the urban wine experience,” a keen piece of marketing wines made in our nation’s increasingly popular, hip cities. For whatever reason, the phenomenon (if that’s what it is) is getting widespread press. For instance, there’s an article in the latest issue of “Via,” the AAA magazine, called “Wineries go to town,” that includes several of the East Bay’s locals: Donkey & Goat and Rosenblum, as well as wineries in San Francisco (Bluxome Street) and Portland (Enso).

I’ll be at the August 2 event and hope to see you there!

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Not to knock my friends who organize and judge at the California State Fair’s wine contest, but a headline like “Thousands of medals awarded in State Fair wine completion” doesn’t exactly gain my respect. According to the local ABC affiliate, “There were 2,829 wine entries in this year’s competition. A panel of judges awarded 2,068 medals to competitors.” That’s a lot of medals: nearly half of all the wines won one. Bragging rights are, of course, the payoff for winning a medal—but something about this kind of inflated result makes me think of Garrison Keilor’s witticism about the kids of Lake Wobegon: “and all the children are above average.”

One potential solution is to sell yourself, not your products… the same way a restaurant sells itself, not its braised lamb. It’s about the experience and for a small wine producer, the wine is simply part of that experience. Imagine a restaurant that served the same menu year after year after year and called it a day. They don’t. Restaurants build exhibition kitchens to pull people into the creation process. They introduce diners to new ingredients. They effectively act as a filter with a unique POV to the world of food. As a small winery, can you act as filter with your own POV to the world of wine? Stop thinking about what you like to do (make wine) and start thinking about what your customers want.

Naked Wines is a step in this direction. Image what the next step or three are and do that.

“And it’s not enough to warn a young person not to get into the wine business, because when you’re young, you’re starry-eyed and ambitious, and you can’t believe that all your dreams might not come true.”

Sorry to hear about your winemaker friend. Let me guess….he makes Cabernet and Chard. Maybe Zin and PinotNoir??? Therein probably lies his problem. He’s having to compete w/ better-funded folks who have a staff that can promote those wines in a crowded marketplace.

However, there seem to be plenty of young people (looking in my rear-view mirror..they all look so young) who are jumping in, not particularly starry-eyed, but ambitious and full of dreams, and seem to be doing just fine, thank you. But it’s not by making yet another NapaVlly Cab, or another RRV Pinot, or another Carneros Chard. They’re making LaCrima or Aglianico or Ribolla or Nebbiolo. They’re trying Semillon or SauvBlanc..but made w/ skin-contact. They’re seeking out old Syrah or Carignane vnyds in MendoCnty. They’re planting GreenHungarian in the SuisunVlly. They’re buying old/own-rooted Chard vnyds in CalaverasCnty. They’re hauling in Mourv from the SantaBarbaraHighlands. They’re scouring out old Grenache down in the CinegaVlly. They’re guys scouting out Teroldego or CabFranc grown on the WestSlope of the Rockies. They have fresh ideas and are exploring the boundaries. And they’re doing it on a shoestring and definitely not trust-fund babies. Thank gawd for these kids, I say.
Tom

The best wines come from small guys like this, and usually these wines are fantastic quality for the money. (Unless they have famous-region ego and price match their neighbors)

The massive amount of mass produced plonk with trendy labels is the real problem for winemakers like this. It also makes it hard for consumers. People approach the wine section and have a high chance of not getting a wine worth the money.

The solution? Try to spread the word that the best wine is from the small passionate guys/women and make it easy to seek those wines out.

It’s also worth noting that the East Bay Vintners Alliance, to their great credit, seems to be the only trade association that has read the wine statute properly which allows 501(c)4 organizations to sell members wine at their events. The sales revenue goes to grow their promotions.

“The best wines in each variety and style are awarded gold, silver or bronze medals, with double-gold medals reserved for wines with unanimous judges’ decisions. The top red and white wines from each of 11 Californian regions are named Best of Class and from these, the Best of Show title is awarded to the highest-scoring red, white and dessert wines. A further award, Winery of the Year, is made to the winery with the most successful showing in the competition.”

Bob, as one of the California State Fair Wine Competition judges, I think you have it wrong. Wines are judged first by varietal and then by region. A single wine could thus win 3 medals. Look at the 2010 Sterling Platinum. Gold for cabernet, best Napa wine and then Best Red of the state. Three medals for one wine.

What I would like to see is how many different bottles got one or more medals.